This invention relates to a blower assembly for use in an environmental control system such as that employed in a copier/duplicator machine.
In complex apparatus such as high volume copier/duplicator machines, the atmosphere inside that apparatus is cleaned using an environmental control system that provides controlled volumes of cleaned, cooled air or other gas to various components within the apparatus, e.g., the marking engine of a copier/duplicator machine.
Environmental control systems normally contain a blower system that helps the environmental control system provide the cleaned, cool air or other gas for use in the apparatus.
For sake of brevity, further description herein will be directed toward a copier/duplicator machine and air blowing, but it is to be understood that this invention is useful in other apparatus as well and with gases other than air. Accordingly, this invention is not limited to copier/duplicator machines or air blowing.
An environmental control system is a precise and costly subsystem within a copier/duplicator machine. It is important that the efficiency of the environmental control system be maintained, if not improved, while ongoing improvement and cost reduction measures are implemented.
In copier/duplicator machines, the environmental control system employs one or more air filter chambers which chambers include one or more blower systems. The blower system employed increases the air pressure in the chamber(s) so that air can be forced through filters for particulate removal. The filtered air is then forced by the blower system out of the machine or to other parts of the machine for reuse within the machine, or both.
The mounting of the blower itself within the blower assembly of the environmental control system is particularly important. The blower assembly employs an inlet ring by which air is pulled into the blower and then forced by the blower in the direction(s) desired within the environmental control system. For efficiency""s sake, the blower should maintain a very close operating relation with respect to the inlet ring. The gap between the downstream inlet edge of the inlet ring and the blower itself should be above 0.060 inch with a gap tolerance of no more than about 0.020-inch. If the gap is too small, the blower may physically impinge on the inlet ring during operation. If the gap it too large, air turbulence will result. Either one of these affects the operating efficiency and operating life of the machine.
Heretofore, as will be explained in detail hereinafter, blower assemblies have been made up of a plurality of disparate parts. The assembly of these parts was time consuming and expensive. For example, the copier/duplicator machine blower assembly described hereinafter with respect to FIGS. 1 and 2 hereof, is a five-piece weldment. Although the prior art blower assemblies are quite serviceable, a simpler, more rigid and more accurate gap controlling blower assembly is desirable. This would reduce assembly time and ease serviceability by reducing the number of parts employed. It would further greatly reduce the overall cost of the blower assembly without sacrificing, and even improving, the operating efficiency of the blower assembly with improved gap control.
According to this invention, there is provided an improved blower assembly that meets the foregoing requirements. This invention also provides an improved inlet ring and inlet ring support unit that allows a blower assembly employing this unit to meet the foregoing requirements.
The blower assembly of this invention employs a one-piece, integral (not physically separable) inlet ring and inlet ring support member or surface. The inlet ring support member also has integral therewith a plurality of upstanding columns or pillars that extend in the direction of the blower and terminate in a free end. That is to say, each column extends from the downstream side of the support member and each terminates in a free end. The columns and their free ends define the space volume or zone within which the blower operates. A blower support member is fixed to the free ends of the columns and carries a lower closure member that extends between the blower support member and the inlet ring support member on the bottom side of the blower.
The foregoing blower assembly is further characterized in that, unlike the prior art, it has no apertured side members as shown in detail hereinafter with respect to the prior art.
The inlet ring/inlet ring support unit provides a unitary, integral article as opposed to the two separate pieces in the prior art that require hand assembly. This article also has, integral with the inlet ring support surface, a plurality of upstanding columns each with a free end, the columns and their free ends defining the space volume or zone in which a blower may operate.